To Another Beat
by littleleaf89
Summary: Junior Prom left Rachel and Quinn both without their partners before the end of the night. So why not have at least a biit of fun by sticking together. It's better than being alone.


"They look cute together," Rachel commented suddenly. Quinn looked up distractedly, wondering whom Rachel was talking about. They had been standing apart from the dancing mass of students, leaning against the wall in an unusual silence for so long that Quinn had almost forgotten the girl beside her. Now, roused from her musings or rather empty gazing, Quinn focuses her eyes to where Rachel is gazing at Mercedes and Sam dancing together.

"Yes they do," she agrees and takes a moment to let the sight sink in, the happy faces, the way their hands find each other effortlessly after each twirl, how their eyes never leave each other. Quinn sighs wistfully. "Mercedes deserves a nice guy like him," she says. "I'm happy for her."

"Me too. Sam's been nothing but wonderful to both of us tonight, I'm glad he gets something out of it too."

Quinn averts her eyes from her best friend and potential new boyfriend to gaze at Rachel in something akin to light wonderment. "That must have been one of the most selfless things I've ever heard you say."

Rachel's head whips around facing Quinn, prepared to rattle of a justification and meet the challenge of Quinn's trademark raised eyebrow, but one look, one actual look at her face halts her. Quinn is as tired of this evening as she. They both have no more numbers to sing on the stage, nobody to dance with and no reason to stay until prom comes to a close safe the unspoken solidarity of the glee club as a whole to stay for Kurt, so Rachel decides to keep it simple.

"There's nothing to gain here for me to further my future career so I figure I can stay behind and be happy for my friends. Maybe I won't have to fight for solos in the near future with Mercedes if I don't fight her for dances now." She tries to make light of the dreary situation of two beautiful girls, because Quinn admits Rachel is beautiful, just not out loud, standing aside on their junior prom like wallflowers, but Quinn caught the slight trace of lounging invading Rachel's voice. Maybe she only caught it because she feels it as well.

"How did you want to manage sharing dances on your three-way date anyway? I've been wondering that since Mercedes told me about it." Quinn asked, which may not have been the best choice of question to distract them but she didn't have a better one ready.

"Well naturally I started making plans, coordinating our turns on the stage to get the most time of available dances evenly distributed, but," Rachel bit her lip and shuffled her feet awkwardly, "then Jesse came back and was all sweet apologizing and asking me to prom. It seemed redundant after that."

"Makes sense." Quinn nodded. Both stared on the dancers in front of them again in silence. Maybe it's the shared misery of having had their respective dates thrown out, but although she would never admit it Quinn is glad to have Rachel next to her.

"Are you dating Jesse again?" she asked after a while, to drown out Santana's soulful voice singing the next slow dance.

Rachel shook her head. "No." Quinn raised her eyebrow again, unbelieving and Rachel succumbed. "Okay maybe, I don't know. He told me he wanted to make last year up to me and so far hi efforts have been genuine and he was a wonderful friend. But I don't know if we would work out as a couple. Maybe in the future."

"That's more than I could say of Finn tonight," Quinn commented bitterly. "But I got what I deserved for cheating on a nice guy like Sam."

The bitterness in her tone surprised Rachel, it was even more present than in the bathroom earlier. Tentatively she placed a hand on Quinn's arm, which, to her joy, wasn't slapped away. "You didn't deserve this Quinn, none of it. Every girl deserves to have a wonderful junior prom. Believe me for once."

Afterwards Quinn thought it might have been that sparkle of determination in Rachel's eyes that swayed her, right then she simply watched slowly as her hand placed itself atop Rachel's small one, laced their fingers and responded with a simple "Okay."

"Okay." Rachel agreed beaming at her as if Quinn had applauded her for a solo.

"Then we're going to make the most of what's left of this prom. Dance with me?"

Judging by her look Rachel was just as surprised as Quinn herself, when she yanked her from the wall and started to slowly spin Rachel to the upbeat tune Puck and Tina were performing by now.

Neither of them knew how to lead, so they took turns in twirling the other or simply goofing around. Rachel's laughter was infectious and Quinn let out the first real laugh of the whole night. It was fun, definitely better than leaning against a wall and watching, she thought, Rachel Berry could be a lot more fun than people gave her credit for. That was until the song selection changed to a slow dance again.

Quinn dropped Rachel's hands as if she'd just been burned, she didn't dare meet Rachel's eyes, not wanting to see her hurt again. "Are you alright?" she asked, not hurt only concern shining through. Rachel's sympathy made Quinn feel miserable, and just when she had started to enjoy herself again. "I'm sorry," she mumbled starring intently on the ground, speaking to her shoes rather than to Rachel. "I'm sorry. I just can't. I'm... I'm not Brittany, I can't just take a random girl and slowdance with her even if it doesn't mean anything. The rumours..."

She half expected to have Rachel lecture her that there was absolutely nothing wrong or shameful about dancing with a girl, but she didn't. "It's okay Quinn, I understand," she whispered. As solemn as she had been in the bathroom, Rachel simply linked her hand with Quinn's and led her out of the gym through a door coveredfrom view by the stage. Quinn didn't object, following Rachel without looking where the girl took her.

Once in the deserted hallway Rachel stopped, Quinn with her eyes still glued to the floor nearly running into her when Rachel turned around. Finally she looked up again, meeting a shy smile. "Nobody's exiting through this door and the music is still audible. No one will see and think any of it, so..." Rachel trailed of hesitantly. Her face fell when Quinn untangled her fingers, only to light up like a neon sign again, when she gingerly caressed the cheek she had slapped earlier.

"Thank you Rachel" she chocked out, trying hard not to cry again, she had done her share for the day already, thank you very much. Then she took one last step closer, encircling Rachel's small waist, which Rachel took as a hint that it was okay for her to wrap her arms around Quinn's neck and they started swaying to the soft sound behind the doors.

"We're friends, right?" Rachel whispered. The song had changed to something more upbeat again, but they were still holding each other, rocking from side to side. Quinn chuckled softly, she remembered the last time she had heard that particular question. "Yes!" she said, for the first time feeling the conviction behind her words. "Best friends probably."

Rachel let her head rest on Quinn's shoulder, she could feel the lips against her skin curl into a smile. "Then this evening was worth it."

This time a tear managed to escape her eyes, but she didn't bother wiping it away, only resting her head atop Rachel's and murmuring "Thank you," again.


End file.
